Pictured: Client Ian Beacraft
Our PR Program for Speakers
Get Booked
Become widely known for your idea and get booked on the stages that matter.
Get Booked is a high-touch, 1:1 program for experts who want to turn their idea into a new signature speech, get more visible, and book higher-paying speaking opportunities.
OUR CLIENTS HAVE LANDED COVERAGE IN
The challenge
You already have an idea or body of work you want to be known for.
But right now:
You’re not widely associated with it
Speaking opportunities feel inconsistent or out of reach
Media and podcast invitations tend to go to more visible names
You know that if you were more visible, you could charge more and choose opportunities — rather than take what you get.
We can help you solve all of this, fast.
OUR SOLUTION
Get Booked
Get Booked is a 1:1, six-week program where we help you shape and position an existing idea so it can move across stages, media, podcasts, and online.
Together, we will:
Refine your idea into a clear, compelling speech concept
Align that concept with the cultural moment, news cycle, and relevant industry trends
Strengthen your personal positioning and online presence so it reinforces the idea
Develop messaging and pitch materials to pursue speaking opportunities, media coverage, and podcast interviews
This program focuses on framing, positioning, and marketing your talk. If you want support in writing a speech and learning to deliver it like a pro, we can recommend one of our vetted partners.
PICTURE IT
This can happen for you
Imagine having:
A clear signature talk you can explain in one sentence
A professional speaker kit that sells you and your talk
Streamlined messaging that gets you booked faster, at higher rates
Custom pitch assets that enable you to book podcast interviews and get quoted by the media
The right strategy that unifies your speech, social media, content, and PR
Your ideas begin to circulate organically. Your message compounds across stages, shows, and media.
Over time, your career accelerates, your earning power grows, and you’re more selective about what you say yes to.
Neil Redding, founder and CEO of Redding Futures
“Tracy has been an amazing partner in both concept and articulation for multiple keynote speeches I've proposed and delivered. And it's not just for speeches but also for all the ways I show up in writing and in public. Highly recommend.”
Why we can help you
Tracy Samantha Schmidt, the founder of The PR Accelerator and the strategist you’d work 1:1 with, helps experts become known for ideas that travel.
She brings a rare combination of newsroom judgment, strategic marketing experience, and real-world speaking insight to the work. Over the past 15 years, Tracy has spoken at dozens of conferences and helped executives, founders, authors, and emerging thought leaders clarify what they’re known for and position their ideas so they’re taken seriously.
Before founding The PR Accelerator, Tracy spent 15 years in the news media, including as a staff reporter at TIME, a frequent TV contributor, and a media executive. She also taught marketing at the University of Chicago for a decade.
She understands why some ideas get attention and most don’t. And she knows how to shape a speech and message that fits the moment, resonates with the right audiences, and opens doors over time.
Ian Beacraft, Founder and Chief Futurist, Signal + Cipher
“Without a doubt, my work with Tracy on my messaging was key to our rapid growth. Not only did she help me crystallize my ideas and make them applicable to all audiences, but she also helped me understand and anticipate journalists’ reactions. On top of that, she helped me leverage my SXSW speech to attract a ton of media coverage that was a game-changer for the growth of our business. If you are ready to get more attention for your ideas, Tracy has my highest recommendation.”
Tech • Keynote Speaker & Consultant
Ian Beacraft: From SXSW to global thought leader
Futurist and creative technologist Ian Beacraft joined our Empowered PR program to amplify his visibility ahead of his featured keynote on generative AI and the metaverse at SXSW 2023. With AI dominating the headlines, our focus was to cut through the noise and position Ian’s insights as both original and essential. We worked closely with him to refine his core message—The Age of Creative Generalists—and crafted a clear PR and thought leadership strategy to elevate his voice in the national conversation on AI and the future of work.
The impact was immediate. Ian’s SXSW keynote drew a standing-room-only audience and sparked over 75 media mentions during the event weekend alone. The video of his talk has since been viewed over 100,000 times, and he quickly became a go-to voice on the future of AI and creativity. Just one month later, Ian was invited onstage with one of the most respected technology journalists in the U.S., further accelerating his credibility and exposure.
Ongoing Momentum:
Over 500 press mentions in 2023
Featured in Slate, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg
Represented by United Talent Agency
Paid keynote engagements with Google, Microsoft, and other global brands
2024–2025 Highlights:
Returned to SXSW as a main stage speaker
Cemented his position as a top global voice at the intersection of AI, creativity, and technology
Ian’s consistent presence across major stages and media outlets has transformed him into one of the most sought-after thought leaders in the emerging tech space — proof that the right story, told well, opens the door to industry-defining opportunities.